Crap! Sorry Val, have my own issues going on over here but you definitely deserve a break if anyone does.

I know you will so the best for your boy. He couldnt ask for a better mom. When he gets to the point of treating the babesia I STRONGLY suggest sending blood to protatek labs. They are the premier tick disease lab and their customer service is second to none. Dr Holland and her staff are great and i trust them 100% and have treated many dogs for Babesia under her sugestions.I also have priced out the drugs from every compounding pharmacy in the states and know where the best deals are. When you get to that point please PM me and I will get you details.

So sorry you are dealing with crap with Tux now. I really hope it is something more benign like IBD - it is possible for sure. Please let us know when you find out. Roc has had 3 bouts of pancreatitis. On his first bout the vets found abnormalities in his intestines and lymph nodes in that region. He went in for exploratory surgery and they took a biopsy while they were in there. At the time they thought that it might be lymphoma. Thankfully it just turned out to be a really bad case of pancreatitis with IBD. I am hoping there is something similar going on with Tux.

Tux was sent home Saturday, diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, perhaps pancreatitis in between, they are not sure. Some relief about it, thinking that at least it is not cancer, but he is going downhill fast and it still could be cancer. He had several things done when hospitalized. An upper GI endoscopy, where they went in with a flexible fiberoptic tube with a camera at the end to see what was going on, a duodenum and stomach biopsy. Thoracic and abdomen x rays did not show anything concerning, blood work normal.Based on their findings, they thought it is IBD and sent him home with Prednisone, which is a problem if chemotherapy is needed, so I assumed they were kinda sure about things. Did not vomit when hospitalized, got fluids, anti vomiting meds etc.Gave him a little chicken when I went to pick him up at 2 PM, he was starving, and vomited everything within an hour. Vomited two more times at home, in the evening. It looked like semi digested blood, plus the little he had put in his mouth earlier and the vet on emergency call during the overnight shift said it was the result of the procedures done to him and normal. Wanted to bring him in, they said to wait and see if he could eat in the AM. Tried to give him some Cerenia, would not take food.

This morning he tried to eat something but couldn't. Dr. called in for Sucralfate and Reglan to give as soon as possible.Went to buy it, and was able to give Sucralfate with syringe but he vomited when I gave him some baby food with the Reglan pill, one hour later. Tried fresh made turkey broth, organic baby food, boiled chicken and rice in the food processor, cottage cheese and good quality canned food...nothing. Even tried some Canadian 100% maple syrup to get some calories in him. The Dr. who had been seen Tux yesterday said this is "abnormal" and he should be eating by now , but did not exactly want him to come in, which is why she called in the meds.The nurses are afraid of him, would prefer to treat at home. I would love to treat at home myself, but my Tux is not eating and he is loosing weight very fast, and he is weak.The last time he ate anything close to a meal was the 8th.When I went to pick him up Saturday, he was loose in the ICU area, after getting out of the metal crate and taking off his muzzle. They would not touch him, and yet when it was time to take him to me for the release, the vet tech walked him on a leash with the muzzle hanging on his neck. Tux did not bother her at all, just wanted out of there.

This morning I called after he vomited twice, wanting to bring him in. I think I actually sort of beg the Dr. who saw Tux yesterday to try to work something out so that he can get care, even if I have to stay there the whole time and "pop in" to handle him when needed. He still has a guarded prognosis and they don't know why he is not eating, and it is made obvious that they don't want him there. At the same time I am told is that he is a severe case, so you can imagine how hard this is.

Today he has been sedated twice, and he is in a crate with a muzzle on (my Baskerville at least) , with the risk of suffocation if he vomits and nobody notice. There is nothing in his little stomach, so I hope that he does not vomit.If they have problems during the night they'll call and ask me to go there and handle him, but they are two hours away and it is going to take me some time to drive.I had to leave him there because I don't know any other place that has as many specialists and high end machinery in one place as that one, in the LA area. I had to leave him because I don't want him to die without a fight.That is pretty much it. Dogs like Tux always get the short end of the stick, for one reasons or the other.

Tomorrow, the same Dr. who tried to help Tigger will take care of Tux, very nice woman and knowledgeable doctor, so I am hoping for a straight talk about my scared boy.He is not going to spend his last days, if it comes down to it, alone in a vet clinic where he is not wanted.